Power-table



E. B. ALLEN.

POWER TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21,1919.

1,399,284, Patented Dec. 6, 1921..

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E. B. ALLEN.

POWER TABLE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2], 1919.

1,399,284. Patented Dec. 6; 1921.

E 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- E. B. ALLEN.

POWER TABLE.

APPLICATlON FILED 001.21, 1919.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

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INVENTOR WKZM ATTORNEY EDWARD TB. ALLEN, OF NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

POWER-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

Application filed October 21, 1919. Serial No. 332,285.

To all 207mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newtown, in the county of Fairiield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-Tables, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to power-tables for supporting and supplying power to small machines in factory installations and has for an object to provide a power-table which is particularly adapted to supply power to machines h ving a plurality of independent shafts to be driven at different speeds.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a power-table of the type disclosed in the application of O. L. Dosch, Serial No. 173,083, filed June 6, 1917, with power-transmitting mechanism suitable for operating an automatic buttonhole cutting and stitching machine of the type having the usual independent cutter and sewing shafts which require to be driven at different speeds.

Still further, the invention has for an ob ject to provide simple and efficient means whereby the operator may, at will, establish or interrupt driving relation between the source of power and the machine.

In accordance with the invention, in its preferred embodiment, the power-table is or may be constructed substantially in accordance with the disclosure of the said Dosch application and comprises a table-top which is carried by transverse guard-rails arranged in pairs and constituting laterally closed housings below the table-top. powershaft extends lengthwise of the table-top and across the space between the adjacent guardrails of each pair. In the present instance, two pulleys are secured to the power-shaft for each machine to be driven. One of these pulleys is located within the space between adjacent guard-rails and the other is disposed externally of such space. As the pulley between the guard-rails is preferably utilized to drive the relatively slow moving cutter-shaft of the buttonhole sewing ma chine, it is belted up to a transmitter c0mprising a pair of gear connected pulleywheels one of which is belted up to the driving pulley on the power-shaft and the other of which is belted up to the pulley on the cutter-shaft of the machine to be driven. A loose pulley is journaled alongside one of the gear connected pulleys for reception of the belt when it is desired to interrupt driving relation between the cutter-shaft and the source of power.

The other pulley on the power-shaft of the table is belted up to the sewing shaft of the machine and is formed'with a beit-catching tooth so that when the driving belt has been thrown from the pulley and is shifted toward the latter it will be caught by the tooth and automatically thrown onto the pulley in a manner well understood. Beltguides connected for simultaneous movement are provided for shifting the belts of the two drives substantially simultaneously, thereby establishing or interrupting driving relation between the power-shaft and the shafts of. the machine to be driven. The belt-guides may be operated by means of a handle which projects upwardly through an aperture in thetable-top to a position alongside the machine and within convenient reach of the operator.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of the powertable showing the machine to be driven in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the power-table with the table-top removed. Fig. 3 is a front side elevation of the powertable. Fig. at is a fragmentary transverse sectional view on the line 4.4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view substantially on the line 5-5, Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of the plate and spring for holding the operating handle for the power-transmitting mechanism in either ofits extreme positions.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated, the power-table is of the general form disclosedin said Doschapplication and comprises a series of similar sections each consisting of a supporting unit 1 for the table-top 2. The supporting unit -1 comprises a pair of spaced guard-rails 3-3. Journaled in suitablebearings 4% carried by the guard-rails 3 is the power-shaft 5 which extends lengthwise of and beneath the table-top and enters the space between the guard-rails.

In the particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of the present disclosure, the machine 6 to be driven is of the automatic buttonhole' cutting and stitching type and comprises the independent-cutter and sewing shafts 7 and 8, respectively,

such as disclosed in my Patent No. 1,162,207, of November 30, 1915. As is well known to those familiar with machines of this type, the cutter-shaft 7 should be driven at a relatively slow speed while the sewing shaft 8 may be driven at a higher speed. In factory installations it is common to mount sewing machines of various types on the same powert-able and operate them from the same powershaft. When one or more of the machines is not being used, it is desirable that it be entirely disconnected from the power-shaft in order to prevent needless wear and tear on the sewing machine pulleys or other parts which run continuously while the machine is being used.

In the present instance, the cutter shaft 7 is driven from the power-shaft pulle 9 at the right-hand side of the machine 6, *ig. 2, through a speed-reducing transmitter 10 which is stationed mainly within the space between the guard-rails 3. Referring to Fig. 2, the transmitter 10 will be seen to comprise a frame-plate 11 which isbolted to the inner face of the left-hand guard-rail 3 and is formed with parallel bearing bosses 12 and 13. Journaled in the bearing boss 12 is a countershaft 14 on the inner end of which is fixed the gear 15 which meshes with the pinion 16 rigidly connected to the belt-pulley 17 and turning with the latter on the hollow in 18 fixed in the boss 13. A pulley 19 simiar to the pulley 17 is placed alongside the latter on the pin 18 and receives the driving belt 20 extending between the transmitter 10 and the pulley 9 when the machine 6 is to stand idle. An oil well 21 and wick 22 are provided to lubricate the pulley-bearings on the pin 18. i

A pulley 23 is mounted on the end of the shaft 14 which projects outside of the space between the guard-rails 3. The pulley 23 is connected to the, pulley 24 on the cuttershaft 7 by means of a belt 25 which runs over a pair of idlers 26 journaled on pins 27 fixed to the bracket-arms 28 which depend from the late 29 screwed to the under side of the ta le-top 2. The bearings for the idlers 26 are lubricated from the oil-well 30 by means of wicks 31." By arranging the idlers 26 between the transmitter 10 and the cutter shaft 7, the belt 25 may be made long enough to retain its elastic grip upon the pulleys for a reasonable length of time without attention. If this belt is too short it will soon lose its driving grip on the pulleys and will require frequent attention. In order to inclose the pulleys 23, 26 and belt 25 below the table-top, use is made of the guard 32 which is hinged or pivoted at 33 to an extension 34 of the arm 28 and at its forward end may be secured in operative position by means of the fastener 35.

bearings 40 beneath the table-top. The rod 37 projects upwardly through the aperture 41 in the table-top and affords a handle 42 whereby the belt-guide 36 may be shifted to the left or right in establishing or interrupting driving relation between the pulleys 9 and 24. Secured over the aperture 41 in the table-to is the plate 43 formed with an elon gated c earance slot 44 for the handle 42. The slot 44 extends transversely. of the limbs of the belt 20 and at its extremities it is slightly enlarged to form retaining recesses 45 into one or the other of which the handle is yieldingly pressed by means of the spring 46 when the handle is released by the operator after having shifted it to an extreme position. The handle 42 for shifting the belt guides 36 and 55 thus constitutes a controlling element common to the two separate drives, whereby driving relation between the independent shafts of the machine and the power-table sha'i't may be established or interrupted at the will of the operator by movement of a single operating handle.

At the left-hand side. of the machine 6, Fig. 2, the sewing shaft 8 carries the usual clutch-pulley 47 which is connected by means of the belt 48 with the grooved driving pulley 49 on the power-shaft 5. Since the shaft 8 is at right angles to the shaft 5, idlers 50 mounted on the bracket 51 at the under side of the table-top are provided in order that the belt 48 may make a right angle turn. It will be noted that the pulley 49 is located well to one side of the axis of the shaft 8. This arrangement permitsthe use of a belt having sufficient length to retain its elastic grip on the'pulleys for a considerable length of time. The belt 48 is protected above thetable-top 2 by means of the beltguard 52. r

The grooved pulley 49 is of special character in that one of the flanges thereof is provided with recesses 53 defining a radial belt catching tooth 54 which projects outwardly a slight distance beyond the plane of the flange in which it is formed.

The means for shifting the belt 48 onto or oil of the pulley 49 comprises a belt-guide 55 which is secured in the fixture 56 adjustably mounted on the inclined rod 57 carried by the rearwardly extending arm of the lever 58 pivoted to the bracket 51. The fan wardly extending arm of the lever 58 is slotted at 59 to embrace the pinv 60 mounted on the lefthand end of theslide-rod 39. i It will be readily understood that movement of vthe handle 37 1 along the slot 44 in the retaining and guidingplate 43'will shift the belt- The means for shifting the belt 20 from guldes 36 and 55 substantially simultanee ously, whereby driving relation between the driving pulleys 9, 4:9 and their respective driven pulleys 24$, 47, will be substantially simultaneously established or interrupted.

In order that the fittings described may be installed in the opposite side of the powertable or in a power-table where the powershaft turns in a direction the reverse of that indicated, the rod 5'7 is mane long enough to permit adjustment of the guide 55 to a position embracing the upper limb of the belt 48, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. at; it being well known that with a drivin pulley of the type disclosed, the belt-guide must embrace the limb of the belt running onto the ulley.

aving thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is l. The combination with a machine having a plurality of shafts to be driven at different speeds, of a supporting table-top, a constantly running power-shaft journaled below said table-top, and means including a common controlling element for establishing or interrupting driving relation between said power and machine shafts.

2. The combination with a machine having a plurality of shafts to be driven at different speeds, of a supporting table-top, a constantly running power-shaft journaled below said table-top, and means including a common manually operated controlling element for establishing or interrupting driving relation between said power and machine shafts.

3. The combination with a machine having a plurality of shafts to be driven at different speeds, of a supporting table-top, a constantly running power-shaft journaled below said table-top, and means including a common manually operated controlling element for substantially simultaneously establishing or interrupting driving relation between said power and machine shafts.

l. The combination with a machine having a plurality of shafts to be driven at different speeds, of a supporting table-top having an aperture, a constantly running power-shaft journaled below said table-top, and means including a shiftably mounted handle projecting upwardly through said aperture in the table-top for establishing or interrupting driving relation between said power and machine shafts.

The combination with an automatic buttonhole cutting and stitching machine having a sewing shaft and a cutter-shaft, of a supporting table-top, a power-shaft journaled below the table-top, separate drives between said power and said sewing and outter-shafts, and means including a single hand-operated element for establishing or interrupting the separately driven relation between said sewing and cuttershafts and said power-shaft,

of a supporting table-top, a power-shaftjournaled below said table-top, separate belt drives between said power-shaft and said sewing and cutter-shafts, a plurality of interconnected belt-shifting guides for said belts, and controlling handle accessible above the table-top for operating said belt-shifting guides substantially simultaneously to establish or interrupt driving relation between the power-shaft and saidsewing and cutter-shafts.

8. The combination with an automatic buttonhole cutting and stitching machine having a sewing shaft and a cutter-shaft, of a supporting table-top, a power-shaft journaled below said table-top, a driving connection between said power and sewing shaft-s, a reduction gear driving connection between the power and cutter-shafts, and means including a common controlling element for establishing or interrupting said driving connections at the will of the operator.

9. A power-table for machines having a plurality of independent shafts to be driven at different speeds comprising, a table-top, table-top supporting means including a pair of spaced transverse guard-rails, a powershaft extending lengthwise of the table-top and entering the space between said guardrails, a driving pulley on the power-shaft between the guard-rails, a transmitter including reduction gears located between the guard-rails and belt connected to the driving pulley, driving connections between the transmitter and one of the independent shafts, second driver on the power-shaft and a driving connection between said sec ond driver and another of the independent shafts.

10. A power-table for machines having a plurality of independent shafts to be driven at different speeds comprising, a table-top, table-top supporting means including a pair of spaced transverse guard-rails, a powershaft extending lengthwise of the table-top and entering the space between said guardrails, a driving pulley on the power-shaft between th guard-rails, a. transmitter including reduction gears located between the guard-rails and belt connected to the driving pulley, a belt connected to the transmitter and one of the independent shafts, a second driving pulley on the power-shaft, a belt connection between said second pulley and another of the independent shafts, and manually controlled belt-shifting means for substantially simultaneously establishing or interrupting driving relation between the power and independent shafts.

11. Ina power-table, in combination, a table-top, a pair of spaced supporting guardrails, a power-shaft, a transmitter frame below the table-top, a pair of gear-connected pulleys journaled in said frame, a driving pulley on the ower-shaft between said guard-rails, a be t connection between said driving pulley and one of said transmitter ulleys, the other of the transmitter pulleys being adapted to be belted to the sewing machine. 7

12. The combination with a machine to 'be driven having two independent shafts arranged transversely to one another, of a supporting table-top, a power-shaft belo.v the table-top, two driving pulleysmounted on said power-shaft at opposite sides of the machine to be driven, separate belt connec' 13. The combination with a machine to be driven having two independent shafts at right angles to one another, of a supporting table-top, a power-shaft below the table-top parallel with one ofthe machine shafts, a driving pulley on the power-shaft well to one side of the machine, a belt connection between said driving pulley and the other of the machine shafts, said belt connection including a pair of inclined idlers below the table-top permitting the belt to make a right angle turn and extend from below to above the table-top, a second pulley on the powershaft, and a driving connection between said second pulley and the machine shaft which is parallel with the power-shaft, and means for establishing and interrupting driving relation between the power and machine shafts.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD B. ALLEN. 

